The Archives of the Supreme Council are a priceless repository
for correspondence, rare documents, important proceedings, and
general information about Masonry and the Scottish Rite. Over
three million items make up the valuable collection, with the
oldest dating back to the early part of the 16th century. The four
rooms that house the Archives are climate controlled for an
optimal temperature of 68 degrees and relative humidity of 50
percent. The facility holds records from the Grand Commander’s
office for the last 20 years and additional rare documents are
stored in a large walk-in vault on the lower level of the House of
the Temple. The most modern archival techniques and supplies
are used for the preservation of items to be placed in the
Archives. Documents, photographs, and imprints are filed in special protective boxes. Among the many papers neatly stored in the boxes, arranged on steel shelving, are rare books and old Rituals. Everything is cataloged and cross-referenced on cards. In 1987, part of this card file system was transferred to electronic format. Ultimately, record retrieval will be entirely computer-based though file cards will always be nearby. The Archives of the Supreme Council contain one of the best historical repositories of Masonry and the Scottish Rite in the world. Naturally, it corresponds to the history of the United States. As the history of the Supreme Council advances, it does so in parallel with the contributions of the Scottish Rite to our nation. The important material in the Archives holds the key to that story.

* * *

Art deHoyos, 33°, Grand Archivist and Grand Historian